IS NEAR ENOUGH GOOD ENOUGH?
Another year, another finals failure. We dissect what worked, what didn’t and where to from here.
MELBOURNE chief executive Peter Jackson believes the sky is the limit for the Demons in 2018 after their superb elimination final win over Geelong.
“Anything’s possible for this team,” Jackson said.
“We’ve knocked one over and we’ve got three to go.”
In the Melbourne rooms after their 29-point win over the Cats, Jackson cut a proud figure.
Perhaps more than anyone, the longtime AFL executive has been responsible for turning around the Demons from basket case to finals force.
He helped smash the club’s debt and has taken Melbourne out of the pokies business.
He oversaw the coaching appointments that have taken Melbourne back to the finals, luring premiership winner Paul Roos and successor Simon Goodwin.
The former Essendon chief executive has put a premium on club culture that appears set to pay dividends — if not this month, then soon. And he also saw Friday night’s performance coming, built off a relentless
first-quarter effort.
“I saw the way they played the last two weeks and I saw them around the club. They’ve been relaxed but not complacent,” he said.
“So I wasn’t surprised at their first quarter.
“They’ve developed a bit of inner confidence. You’ve got to play hard, tough footy but you’ve got to be confident.”
Jackson, who has announced his departure as chief executive at season’s end, said he wasn’t sure where the Demons’ ride would end this year but the good feeling around the club was the result of toil.
“I don’t want to sound flippant about it but this was the plan,” he said. “We wanted to be where we are this year. We got here and we wanted to perform when we got here and we have so far.
“There have been a lot of changes. A lot of good people around the club. And the football department, the coaches, the list managers put this team together and they’re creating a great culture.
“It really is the outcome of a lot of hard work over four years.”